Sloka & Translation

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[Description of the four sons of Brahma and the dynasty of Kusanabha-- enraged Wind-god turns the daughters of Kusanabha into humped-back ones.

brahmayōnirmahānāsītkuśō nāma mahātapā:.

akliṣṭavratadharmajñaḥ sajjanapratipūjaka:৷৷1.32.1৷৷


brahmayōni: originated from Brahma, mahātapā: great ascetic, akliṣṭavratadharmajña: indefatigable vows and conversant with righteousness, sajjanapratipūjaka: one who worships pious men, mahān great, kuśō nāma āsīt there was one named Kusa.

There was a great ascetic named Kusa, born to Brahma, as ascetic indefatigable in vows, knowldegeable in dharma and a respector of the virtuous.
sa mahātmā kulīnāyāṅ yuktāyāṅ suguṇōlbaṇān.

vaidarbhyāṅ janayāmāsa caturassadṛśān sutān৷৷1.32.2৷৷

kuśāmbaṅ kuśanābhaṅ ca adhūrtarajasaṅ vasum.


sa: mahātmā that eminent one, kulīnāyām in lady of noble descent, yuktāyām suitable to him, vaidarbhyām in the princess of Vidarbha, kuśāmbam Kusamba, kuśanābhaṅ ca Kusanabha also, adhūrtarajasam Adhurta Rajasa, vasum Vasu, suguṇōlbaṇān manifesting virtues, sadṛśān suitable ones, catura: four, sutān sons, janayāmāsa begot.

That great soul, Kusa, married the princess of Vidarbha born in a noble family and a match for him. He begot four virtuous sons who resembled him. They were Kusamba, Kusanabha, Adhurtarajas and Vasu.
dīptiyuktān mahōtsāhān kṣatradharmacikīrṣayā৷৷1.32.3৷৷

tānuvāca kuśa: putrān dharmiṣṭhān satyavādina:.


kuśa: Kusa, dīptiyuktān lustrous, mahōtsāhān men of great perseverance, dharmiṣṭhān eager to observe righteousness, satyavādina: men who always speak truth, tān putrān those sons, kṣatradharmacikīrṣayā with a desire to carry out duties of warrior race, uvāca spoke.

Kusa addressed his four brilliant sons who were highly enthusiastic, pious, truthful and were wedded to duties of the warrior race:
kriyatāṅ pālanaṅ putrā: dharmaṅ prāpsyatha puṣkalam৷৷1.32.4৷৷

ṛṣēstu vacanaṅ śrutvā catvārō lōkasammatā:.

nivēśaṅ cakrirē sarvē purāṇāṅ nṛvarāstadā৷৷1.32.5৷৷


putrā: O! My sons, pālanam governance, kriyatām may be done, puṣkalam immense, dharmaṅ merit, prāpsyatha you acquire, tadā then, ṛṣē: that rishi's, vacanam words, śrutvā having heard, lōkasammatā: men revered in the world, catvāra: four, nṛvarā: best among men, sarvē all of them, purāṇām of the cities, nivēśam abodes, cakrirē constructed.

"O my sons, govern with righteousness so that you will acquire immense merit'. Hearing the words of the rishi, the four sons who were the best among men and revered in the world constructed four cities as their abodes.
kuśāmbastu mahātējā: kauśāmbīmakarōtpurīm .

kuśanābhastu dharmātmā puraṅ cakrē mahōdayam৷৷1.32.6৷৷


mahātējāḥ man possessing heroic lustre, kuśāmbastu Kushamba on his part, kauśāmbīm Kaushambi, purīm city, akarōt constructed, dharmātmā righteous, kuśanābhastu Kushanabha on his part, mahōdayam Mahodaya, puram city, cakrē constructed.

The brilliant Kushamba and the righteous Kushanabha constructed the cities of
Kaushanbi and Mahodaya (as their capital) respectively.
adhūrtarajasō rāma! dharmāraṇyaṅ mahīpati:.

cakrē puravaraṅ rājā vasuścakrē girivrajam৷৷1.32.7৷৷


rāma O! Rama, adhūrtarajasa: Adhurtarajasa, mahīpati: king, dharmāraṇyam Dharmaranya, puravaram best of cities, cakrē constructed, rājā king, vasu: Vasu, girivrajam city of Girivraja, cakrē constructed.

O Rama! king Adhurtarajasa constructed Dharmaranya, the best of cities and king Vasu, the city of Girivrajam.
ēṣā vasumatī rāma! vasōstasya mahātmana:.

ētē śailavarā: pañca prakāśantē samantata:৷৷1.32.8.


rāma O! Rama, ēṣā this, mahātmana: of the magnanimous, tasya vasō: that Vasu's, vasumatī land, samantata: surrounded by, pañca five, śailavarā: excellent mountains, prakāśantē shining.

O Rama! this place where we are (called Vasumati) belongs to the magnanimous king Vasu. This is surrounded by five great shining mountains.
sumāgadhī nadī ramyā magadhān viśrutāyayau.

pañcānāṅ śailamukhyānāṅ madhyē mālēva śōbhatē৷৷1.32.9৷৷


ramyā delightful, viśrutā renowned, sumāgadhī nadī river Sumagadhi, magadhān in Magadha, āyayau is flowing, pañcānām of the five, śailamukhyānām best of mountains, madhyē amidst, mālā iva like a garland, śōbhatē is shining.

The delightful and renowned river Sumagadhi (known as Sona), flowing in the country of Magadha, looks beautiful like a garland amidst five great mountains.
saiṣā hi māgadhī rāma vasōstasya mahātmana:.

pūrvābhicaritā rāma! sukṣētrā sasyamālinī৷৷1.32.10৷৷


rāma Rama, sā ēṣā māgadhī the same Magadhi river, mahātmana: of the magnanimous, tasya vasō: pertains to Vasu, pūrvābhicaritā flowing from east, sukṣētrā with fertile fields, sasyamālinī surrounded by crops as a garland.

Rama, this Magadhi river, of great Vasu flows from the east surrounded by fertile crops fields like a garland.
kuśanābhastu rājarṣi: kanyāśatamanuttamam.

janayāmāsa dharmātmā ghṛtācyāṅ raghunandana!৷৷1.32.11৷৷


raghunandana O! Prince Raghu, dharmātmā the virtuous one, rājarṣi: rajarshi (a kshtriya who governs kingdom in saintly detached way), kuśanābha: tu Kusanabha, ghṛtācyām in a nymph named Ghritachi, anuttamam extremely beautiful, kanyāśatam one hundred daughters, janayāmāsa begot.

O scion of the Raghu family, the virtuous rajarshi Kusanabha begot one hundred beautiful daughters through a nymph named Ghritachi.
tāstu yauvanaśālinyō rūpavatya ssvalaṅkṛtā:.

udyānabhūmimāgamya prāvṛṣīva śatahradā:৷৷1.32.12৷৷

gāyantyō nṛtyamānāśca vādayantyaśca sarvaśa:.

āmōdaṅ paramaṅ jagmurvarābharaṇabhūṣitā:৷৷1.32.13৷৷


yauvanaśālinya: resplendent with youth, rūpavatya: beautiful, tā: they, svalaṅkṛtā: well adorned, udyānabhūmim pleasure-garden, āgamya having reached, prāvṛṣi in the rainy season, śatahradā: iva like lightenings, gāyantya: singing, nṛtyamānāśca dancing, vādayantya: playing on instruments, varābharaṇabhūṣitā: decked with all ornaments, sarvaśa: moving in all directions, paramam great, āmōdam delight, jagmu: obtained.

Those well-adorned, beautiful, young maidens in the pleasure-garden looked like lightnings in the rainy season. Bedecked with fine ornaments they were singing, dancing, playing on instruments and moving in all directions in great delight.
atha tāścārusarvāṅgyō rūpēṇāpratimā bhuvi.

udyānabhūmimāgamya tārā iva ghanāntarē৷৷1.32.14৷৷


atha there after, cārusarvāṅgya: having all beautiful limbs, rūpēṇa in beauty, bhuvi on earth, apratimā: unparalleled, tā: those maidens, udyānabhūmim pleasure-garden, āgamya having reached, ghanāntarē in the midst of clouds, tārā: iva like stars (appeared).

With beautiful limbs of unparalleled beauty on earth, they shone in the pleasure-garden like stars in the midst of clouds.
tāssarvaguṇasampannā rūpayauvanasaṅyutā:.

dṛṣṭvā sarvātmakō vāyuridaṅ vacanamabravīt৷৷1.32.15৷৷


sarvātmaka: the all pervading one, vāyu: wind-god, sarvaguṇasampannā: those women endowed with all virtues, rūpayauvanasaṅyutā: blessed with youth and beauty, tā: them, dṛṣṭvā having seen, idam these, vacanam words, abravīt spoke.

At the sight of the maidens embellished with all virtues and youth and beauty, the all-pervading Wind-god addressed them these words:
ahaṅ va: kāmayē sarvā bhāryā mama bhaviṣyatha.

mānuṣastyajyatāṅ bhāvaḥ dīrghamāyuravāpsyatha৷৷1.32.16৷৷


aham I, va: sarvā: all of you, kāmayē I am loving, mama my, bhāryā: wives, bhaviṣyatha you may agree to become, mānuṣa: mortal, bhāva: feeling, tyajyatām may be abandoned, dīrgham long duration, āyu: of life, avāpsyatha you may attain.

I request you all to be my wives. You will leave this feeling of mortality and attain a
long life.
calaṅ hi yauvanaṅ nityaṅ mānuṣēṣu viśēṣata:.

akṣayyaṅ yauvanaṅ prāptāḥ amaryaśca bhaviṣyatha৷৷1.32.17৷৷


nityam always, yauvanam youth, calaṅ hi is unstable, mānuṣēṣu in human beings, viśēṣata: especially, akṣayyam permanent (not liable to deterioration), yauvanam youth, prāptā: you attain, amarya: ca immortal women, bhaviṣyatha will become.

Youth is always unstable, especially in human beings. If you marry me, you will be ever youthful like devatas.
tasya tadvacanaṅ śrutvā vāyōrakliṣṭakarmaṇa:.

apahāsya tatō vākyaṅ kanyāśatamathābravīt ৷৷1.32.18৷৷


tata: thereafter, akliṣṭakarmaṇa: of him who accompanies pious and wise acts, tasya vāyō: that wind-god's, tat vacanam those words, śrutvā having heard, apahāsya ridiculing him, kanyāśatam hundred maidens, atha thereafter, vākyam these words, abravīt spoke.

At the works of the untiringly blowing Wind-god the lunged maidens laughed and said:
antaścarasi bhūtānāṅ sarvēṣāṅ tvaṅ surōttama! .

prabhāvajñā: sma tē sarvā: kimasmānavamanyasē৷৷1.32.19৷৷


surōttama O! Best among devatas, tvam you, sarvēṣām of everyone, bhūtānām living beings, anta: within, carasi you move, sarvā: all of us, tē your, prabhāvajñā: sma knowers of your valour, asmān us, kim avamanyasē why are you insulting.

"O best among devatas! you move within all living beings, we feel your impact. Why do you insult us?
kuśanābhasutāssarvā: samarthāstvāṅ surōttama!.

sthānāccyāvayituṅ dēvaṅ rakṣāmastu tapō vayam৷৷1.32.20৷৷


surōttama O! Best among devatas, sarvā: vayaṅ all of us, kuśanābhasutā: daughters of Kusanabha, dēvam the divine one, tvām you, sthānāt from your authority, cyāvayitum to pull down, samarthā: tu are capable, but, tapa: ascetic merit of a virgin, rakṣāma: we are protecting.

"O best among devatas! we are daughters of Kusanabha, We are capable of pulling you down from your position. We are safe-guarding our ascetic merit as virgins (we could curse you to save our ascetic merit)" of Kusnabha.
mābhūtsa kālō durmēdha: pitaraṅ satyavādinam.

nāvamanyasva dharmēṇa svayaṅ varamupāsmahē৷৷1.32.21৷৷


durmēdha: O! Foolish one, satyavādinam always speaking truth, pitaram our sire, na avamanyasva you may not dishonour, dharmēṇa by ones own duty, svayam personally, varam bridegroom, upāsmahē will serve, sa: that, kāla: time, mābhūt let not come.

O wicked one, do not dishonour our father who always speaks the truth. He will choose the bridegrooms righteously. Do not invite death (father may be the cause of your death).
pitā hi prabhurasmākaṅ daivataṅ paramaṅ hi na:.

yasya nō dāsyati pitā sa nō bhartā bhaviṣyati৷৷1.32.22৷৷


asmākam for us, pitā our father, prabhu: hi is lord indeed, sa: he, paramam great, daivatam god, pitā father, na: for us, yasya to whom so ever, dāsyati gives, sa: he, na: for us, bhartā husband, bhaviṣyati will become.

Our father is our lord. Our father is god to us. Whomsoever our father offers us shall become our husband".
tāsāṅ tadvacanaṅ śrutvā vāyu: paramakōpana:.

praviśya sarvagātrāṇi babhañja bhagavān prabhu:৷৷1.32.23৷৷


tāsām those maidens', tat vacanam those words, śrutvā having heard, prabhu: lord, the powerful one, bhagavān the venerable one, vāyu: wind-god, paramakōpana: exceedingly enraged, sarvagātrāṇi all the limbs of their body, praviśya having entered, babhañja twisted.

Having heard the words of those maidens, the most powerful and venerable Wind-god became furious. He entered all the limbs of their bodies, twisted and distorted them.
tā: kanyā vāyunā bhagnā viviśurnṛpatērgṛham.

prāpatan bhuvi sambhrāntāssalajjā ssāsralōcanā:৷৷1.32.24৷৷


vāyunā by wind-god, bhagnā: shattered, tā: kanyā: those maidens, nṛpatē: king's, gṛham residence, viviśu: entered, saṅbhrāntā: agitated, salajjā: overtaken by shame, sāsralōcanā: with tears filling their eyes, bhuvi on the ground, prāpatan fell down.

Their bodies disfigured and shattered by the Wind-god, the maidens with tears flowing from their eyes entered the palace and fell down on the ground, agitated and overtaken by shame.
sa ca tā dayitā dīnā: kanyā: paramaśōbhanā:.

dṛṣṭvā bhagnāstadā rājā sambhrānta idamabravīt৷৷1.32.25৷৷


sa: rājā the king, tadā then, dayitā: beloved, dīnā: distressed, paramaśōbhanā: extremely beautiful, kanyā: daughters, bhagnā: shattered, dṛṣṭvā having seen, sambhrānta: agitated, idam these words, abravīt spoke.

The king saw his extremely beautiful beloved daughters distressed and shattered and spoke these words with bewilderment.
kimidaṅ kathyatāṅ putrya: kō dharmamavamanyatē.

kubjā: kēna kṛtā: sarvā vēṣṭantyō nābhibhāṣatha.

ēvaṅ rājā viniśśvasya samādhiṅ sandadhē tata:৷৷1.32.26৷৷


putrya: O! Daughters, idam this, kim what?, ka: who?, dharmam virtue, avamanyatē is disregarding, kathyatām let it be told, sarvā: all of you, kubjā: hump backed ones, kēna kṛtā: by whom are you disfigured, vēṣṭantyaḥ encircling, nābhibhāṣatha you are not speaking, rājā king, ēvam in this way, viniśvasya heaved a sigh, tata: then, samādhim concentration of mind, sandadhē attained.

"O daughters! What has happened? Who has dishonoured virtue? Say it at once. Who has made you hunch-backed? Standing roud me, why are you dumb?" The king heaved a sigh and entered into a state of samadhi.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē dvātriṅśassarga:৷৷
Thus ends the thirtysecond sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.